Issue Two
Issue Two is Ready!
Well, I have to say I’m pretty excited. Issue Two: Hip-Hop took a lot longer to come together than I ever expected, but it’s now complete, and available for ordering at MagCloud. I’ve been sitting on these poems and this artwork for several months, which has been difficult, because I’m really proud of how the poets represented here have deeply explored the subject of hip-hop, of which I am a big fan, but with which I have a complicated relationship (as I imagine many of our readers have as well.) Hip-hop is music and culture, and it’s our relationships to those things. The poems and art here explore hip-hop as an celebrity culture, a musical history, a participatory sport, a cause for concern, a highlighter of racism, a transmitter of racism, and a source of hope.
Another cause for excitement: MagCloud has added the ability to offer digital versions of the magazine. If you’re an e-book person, or just can’t wait to read the issue, you’re in luck, because digital versions are available for half price, unless you buy the print issue – then you get both for the price of the print issue. MagCloud also has an iPad app, which displays the magazine beautifully.
Finally, I’m pleased to announce the topic for Issue Three: Water. We’ll be opening submissions in a few days, along with posting guidelines for the topic. Stay tuned, and enjoy Issue Two: Hip-Hop!
- John Paul Davis
Topics for Issue Two
Art submissions for Issue Two: Hip Hop are now open.
Please visit our Art Submissions page for guidelines on submitting art.
We’re looking for art, photography, illustration about hip hop culture in general and the following topics in specific:
tagging
graffiti
Rick Ross
Eminem
Grandmaster Flash
Beastie Boys
battling
Kanye West
Rihanna
KRS-One
Afrika Bambaataa
breakdancing in 1979
50 Cent
Lil Kim
Dr. Dre
Lil Wayne
DJ Shadow
The Roots
rural hip hop
Issue Two Poets
Hello! Back from vacation, and we’ve got the list of poets whose work has been accepted for Issue Two: Hip Hop!
Adrian Matejka
Anis Mojgani
Mahogany Browne
Tara Betts
Khary Jackson
F. Douglas Brown
Rob Sturma
Stevie Edwards
Kai Huang
Aaron Counts
Tim Stafford
Oscar Bermeo
Winnie Oliver
Billy Tuggle
Darrel Alejandro Holmes
Matt Gano
Dan Sullivan
Kevin Coval
Alison Weiss
Information about art submissions will be posted later this week.
Hip Hop!
The topic for Issue Two will be: Hip Hop. Submissions are open now; they close July 7.
It’s a kind of music. It’s a culture. It’s a marketing scheme. Send us your poems that celebrate, examine and investigate hip hop. Poems that go out of their way to surprise, move, delight are encouraged; we’ll be less likely to enjoy poems that go to the normal place (e.g. elegies for Tupac and Notorious B.I.G., while perhaps sincere, are less interesting to us because the topics have already been widely explored). Please use the poetry submission form to send your poems. Below are some links to poems about hip hop that we enjoy, to give you some inspiration. Good luck!
Freddie by Patrick Rosal
Rock The Body Body by Major Jackson
Battle Rhyme For The Rhetorical Disenfranchisers by Adrian Matejka
Hip Hop Ghazal by Patricia Smith
History of the Ardenwood B-Boys by Jason Byani (scroll to last poem)
Meditating On Lil Wayne – Roger Bonair-Agard
10 for T-Pain by Adam Falkner